Boat capsizes after reportedly being hit by whale near Kaikōura, search for passengers under way

A boat with passengers onboard has capsized after being hit by what is believed to be a whale near Kaikōura, triggering a major rescue effort.

Stuff understands two people are dead, three are still missing and six have been rescued, including the skipper.

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The incident happened on Saturday morning near Goose Bay, south of the coastal town.

Sources believe the vessel collided with a whale, and the boat involved is understood to belong to a local fishing charter business.

A rescue helicopter, Coastguard volunteers, and divers have been called in to help with the rescue efforts.

Kaikōura mayor Craig Mackle said there was a “sick feeling” amongst those waiting for news. The dive squad was expected to arrive by helicopter at about 2pm, Mackle said.

A lot of volunteers had come to help, but boats were being kept “at a minimum” to keep the rescue effort co-ordinated, and ensure the slipway stayed clear, Mackle said.

He believed six people had been taken to the local medical centre for treatment. Fire crews, ambulances and police vehicles were present, he said.

Mackle said emotions were running high as the rescue mission continued.

“It’s not great. You’ve got this sick feeling.”

In a statement, police said they were responding to the incident “in which a boat has reportedly capsized” but have provided no more information.

The South Bay slipway is closed to the public while police respond, the statement said.

A woman who works at a fishing charter said she understood 11 people were on board.

Reports of what had happened were unclear, she said. “There’s a few fishing companies around here, we were trying to figure out who it was.”

Local operators had gone to the area to see if they could help, she said.

Vanessa Chapman and a group of friends have been watching the scene unfold from Goose Bay lookout since 11am.

Chapman said when they arrived at the bay they saw an upturned boat with a sole person sitting on top waving their arms.

That person had been rescued, and she believes they witnessed another person being pulled from the water, too.

Two Westpac rescue helicopters, and a local chopper, had been circling, and going backwards and forwards and they had watched one “all but land on the capsized boat and two divers jumped out”.

“Then another local boat has pulled in, and we believe someone was put on that boat, and then he shot straight into town and the helicopters have just been searching. They still are.”

She said it was hard to tell the kind of boat it was – from a distance it just appeared to be a dinghy, but being upside down, it was difficult to see.

An ambulance was parked up nearby.The conditions were “absolutely calm. A wee bit of a roll, but it’s unreal to think someone has capsized their boat”.